Diagnosis: Tumor

April 16 my cat Daisy (she was adopted, but she is roughly 11 years old, maybe younger, I can't imagine she'd be older) was diagnosed with a tumor in her abdomen. Not sure from the x-ray if it is in her stomach or outside of it.

She doesn't seem to be in any pain, but the tumor is large and supposedly growing fast. It has affected her appetite, but she's still eating (mostly nibbling) and she definitely has her spirit.

Today, we go for a biopsy.

I have not heard or read good things about surgery. Has anyone had any good news of surgery for a cat with a tumor?

I am also seeking holistic remedies. It certainly can't hurt! Anyone have any info?

Really, any advise or story-sharing is greatly appreciated.

 

One of our cats had a cancer tumor. It was under his armpit (front leg) It was huge before we even noticed it.... he was the type of cat that would only let you pet him when and if he wanted to be petted... he did not like to sit in our laps or anything.... we got him from the shelter and when we first saw him he was trying to attack the cat in the next cage. He was just a kitten then. lol He absolutely hated the vet... They could not touch him unless they "put him out" He had a very bad attitude and had that attitude since day one. :roll: But we loved him very very much! Anywho... we took him to the vet with his growth. They told us we could either have it taken out or we could just let him go to sleep. We got it removed with no problems... this was when he was 12 or 13. He lived untill he was 15 or 16. We lost him last year on the 4th of July. :cry: You can see his pic on our web site... his name was Sly... short for slyvester. He is in the "In loving memory section"

 

Diagnosis: Tumor--possibly soft tissue tumor and/or spleen

April 19, Daisy's biopsy so far remains inconclusive. And I guess that's the good news, because it greatly reduces the chances of it being lymphoma or a mass cell tumor. Her kidneys and liver are fine. Her spleen, however, is still possibily associated. The vet suspects it could also be some kind of soft tissue tumor. Is this synonomous with sacaroma? Or no?

Blood work was sent to the lab and I will get those results back tomorrow. (April 20). I am holding on to hope that it's not the worst news and there's a chance she can survive whatever this is. The tumor is the size of an adult fist!

Thoughts, advise, story-sharing...

 

Hi. I'm just reposting a post I left for another member here as it applies to your kitty as well. Although I mention sarcomas it pretty much relates to most tumors/masses in cats. I hope it helps you even a small amount.

Hi. I am really sorry about this news. If it was my cat I would go ahead and have the vet remove the liposarcoma. However, I would only want a vet that has experience in removal of these sarcomas. If you find a good vet that can remove it in it's entirety (meaning none left behind) the prognosis is very good for your kitty (meaning long term remission or cure). Sometimes radiation therapy may also be needed (especially if not all of it was removed). The success of the surgery has a lot to do with the size, location and grade of the liposarcoma. These are things that you will have to discuss with your vet. Ask him or her if they think that they will be able to remove all of it based on it's size/grade and location and so on. If the vet thinks there is a good chance for success I would go for it. I wish your kitty all the best.

 

Hi! Hazelnut. I am truly sorry about your kitty. As you know we lost out Missy on Monday. She was only 4 years old. Chessmind is correct when he tells you to have it removed. I wish we could have done that for Missy but unfortunately, she developed complications (non generating cell anemia) and could not undergo surgery. We are grateful for the time we had with her and we miss her very much. It is really hard to come into our house and not have her to greet us. Do all you can for your kitty. Good luck and please keep us posted. You are in my prayers.

 

Thank you for your responses, everyone.

April 20, Daisy officially has a soft-tissue sarcoma. The next step is to see if she truly is a candidate for surgery, ensuring it has not metatisized (which I have read is rare for this type of cancer--I have also read this type of cancer is rare in cats!) and that it does not affect her lymphnodes, etc.

The internist referred me to a specialist surgeon who is "boarded." (A diplomat?) He's getting me a quote (sigh) while I need to persue additional x-rays for Daisy.

I have an appointment Monday (April 29) with a holistic vet too. It can't hurt! And I figure, should Daisy have a successful surgery, steps to help prevent reocurrence of her tumor can only help!

She's doing OK, most definintely still has her spirit. She drinks a lot of water--always has--loves to drink it right from the faucet. And I wonder if it's the toxins in unfiltered water that has contributed to her health. :-/

She didn't eat at all y'day after the biopsy, nor this morning. I grabbed a fast-food chicken sandwich on my way home from the vet to pick up special food I could give her with a seringe (sp?) to entice her to eat. The sandwich was for me, but, uh, Daisy gladly chomped down a chunk of chicken, so I made some for dinner and she ate some more! I was so pleased!

Thanks for being here and reading.

 

Diagnosis: Soft Tissue Sarcoma/Holistic Care

April 26, I have yet to hear back from the internist-specialist who is supposed to supply me with more information and an appoitment to meet with the surgeon-specialist in the same office. I was expecting a call by April 22 or 23, and I have call the past three business days to no avail.

In the meantime, Daisy visited a holistic vet today. The doctor prescribed Vetri-Liquid, or DMG, Iodum, Carcinocin, and Hepeel--chinese herbal remedies to my awareness. Some of this has been used in humans in India too, I believe he said. Anyway, the goal now is to help make Daisy strong enough for surgery...she has been dehydrated, and while she is eating and drinking some, she is still losing weight. Some of the above is supposed to help boost her immune system while some is intended to help boost her appetite!

The vet also suggested I give her chicken broth to help hydrate her. Needless to say, she lapped that up like candy.

 

Hazelnut: I know exactly how you feel right now.

Back in Nov 2003 our cat, Sammy had surgery to remove a cancerous mass from his intestine, it was the size of an orange. The vet was able to remove most of the mass and part of his pancreas. It was determined that he had pancreatic cancer. Sammy has been 5 months post-op and was doing great until a few days ago when I found a lump in his lower abdomen. We took Sammy to the vet on Saturday and a biopsy was taken and it was determined today that it is cancerous. We have scheduled Sammy for an ultrasound for tomorrow and hopefully we caught this cancerous growth in time and that it is localized. I'm not sure if Sammy can go though another operation but I guess we will have to decide once we get the results of the ultrasound. The vet said that she has never seen a cat survive this long with this type of cancer so hopefully we caught this recurrence in time and that it can be dealt with immediately. Sammy still has a lot of strength but does sleep a lot more and has been eating a lot less. He is however drinking a lot of water, more than before. We can only hope for the best.

Like I said, I know exactly how you feel... this is our second time dealing with it and it doesn't get any easier. Good Luck and keep us posted with Daisy's condition. Our thoughts are with you. Take care.

 

Daisy's upcoming exploratory surgery

Regarding your sammycat: I do hope everything can be done to save him. Ugh.

April 27, today, I finally heard from the surgeon's office. The call took me by complete shock! "You could come in tomorrow to meet with the surgeon, and we'll just do the surgery [the same day]." Uh, HELLO? I've been waiting for more information regarding 1) whether you think she's a good candidate 2) what her chances of surviving surgery are 3) what your plan is to make sure I get my cat back!

I was not about to bring her in not knowing if I'd be able to take her home. But, I at least have an appointment for a consult with the surgeon tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the internist left a message on my cell phone. It would be "exploratory surgery." They don't know what they will find! This is awful, because, well, I want my cat back alive and without cancer! I realize there is a chance of recurrence, but I'm willing to do what it takes to help ensure it doesn't reoccur (hence the Chinese herbal meds).

I have not found much information about this kind of cancer. I keep finding "vaccine-related sarcomas" and I don't think this was related to any kind of vaccine, based on where it is.

I really need to know there is a very good chance my cat will survive surgery. That she remains cancer-free becomes the next step. But I just cannot put her through surgery if it means I won't get her back. I want to keep her as long as she isn't suffering--I don't want to lose her any sooner than she needs to go.

I know she needs surgery soon. I am hoping the herbal meds help her get some strength back. They won't operate on weak humans--I am fearful there's less care for weak cats.

I'm just not having a good afternoon. If you could have a soulmate-pet, mine would be Daisy....

 

Hazelnut - What kind of cancer did they say it was? You know I know what you are going through. My Missy was my soul mate. One of my friends told me to just keep telling Missy that I love her and am doing my best to keep her well. Do that to Sammy, they understand and you will be giving Sammy so encouragement. Let me know what kind of cancer it is. They said Missy's was a liposarcoma. (sp) A very aggressive kind. I hope Sammy's is not the same. I will keep you in my thoughts.

 

Daisy's cancer

Daisy's cancer is, so far, a "soft tissue sarcoma." What kind of soft tissue sarcoma I don't know. Soft tissue sarcoma is all I know following her biopsy and cytology results. It does NOT appear to be a soft tissue sarcoma due to vaccines. I will find out more today, I hope, when I meet with the surgeon.

Back later...

 

Daisy's cancer

April 28, met with the surgeon today. She is advising surgery tomorrow or Friday, April 29 or 30. But she is also saying there's a chance she won't survive it, that anesthesia is risky especially in such a skinny cat. "She has several strikes against her," the vet said.

Ugh.

So...unless someone here can talk me out of it, Daisy's surgery will likely be Friday morning. I have to be prepared to not get her back. But I have been figuring it is her only chance to survive.

 

Daisy

Based on some additional preliminary bloodwork, the surgeon thinks Daisy is going to need a blood transfusion...

::sigh::

 

Daisy's upcoming exploratory surgery

Daisy is going to need a blood transfussion for sure, before her surgery Friday. I thought perhaps my cat Ted might be a donor for Daisy. Turns out, Daisy is Type A and Ted is type AB--but on top of that, Ted tested positive for FIV. :-/

Meanwhile, Daisy: I will bring her in at 10 AM ET Friday. It will be a long Day for Daisy as well as me! Daisy is a survivor. I need to remember that. Please send all good thoughts in Daisy's direction, but now, in Ted's too!

 

Hi Hazelnut. I just wanted to let you know that I'm keeping my fingers crossed all day today! I sure hope you post us some good news about todays surgery. I will be so sad if it's not. ~sigh~ I sure hope your kitty pulls through.

 

I'll be thinking of you and your kitties today. Please let us know how everything goes. Best wishes.

 

Any news yet????? I have been thinking of you all day. Let us know ASAP. Thanks.

 

Daisy

Daisy died April 30, Friday. Her tumor was not attached to her spleen at all, but rather, it was coming from her intestines and the blood vessels surrounding them. The cancer also spread a little to her liver. The tumor was not removeable at all. So, rather than wake her from surgery and allow her to continue to deteriorate, she was set to rest while still under anesthesia.

Sorry I did not post about it yesterday--I was too upset.

They called me at 12:40 to let me know the blood transfusion went well. It was maybe 7 minutes later the surgeon called while on speaker phone to tell me what she found. When she asked me what I wanted to do, I paused--I knew I had to let her go--I just couldn't let her be in pain from surgery and feel no better than before it. I'm going to miss her so much.

The surgeon told me later that Daisy was purring the entire time of the blood transfusion--that was Daisy, motor stuck in the on position. She was a happy girl. I do feel I did my best to help save her. I'm really disappointed her tumor wasn't removeable. I was so hopeful for her, and a part of me feels like I let her down. I kept telling her, "OK, Daisy, we're going to get that thing out of your belly and you're going to feel so much better." I'm sure she probably picked up my attitude and that helped her be strong. What's she thinking now? "I do feel better mom, but I didn't think this was part of the plan."

She's so much a part of me. I love her so much. Bringing her empty cat carrier home was the absolute worst! I'll be picking up her ashes probably Tuesday.

 

I am so sorry for your loss Hazelnut. :cry:

{{Hugs}}

 

Oh Hazelnut. I'm just so sorry for your loss. I know how much you love her and how hard all of this has been on you. I feel so bad for you right now. You did everything you could. It sounds like she wouldn't have made it much longer even if she didn't have surgery. At least she's not in pain anymore and she's in a better place. Hang in there.